Belfast will be putting one of the oldest Olympic sports on center stage over the next fortnight for the Junior and Cadet Fencing World Championships.
The University of Ulster will welcome 1108 athletes from 89 countries across the globe from 4 to 13 April to demonstrate their skill and dexterity using the Foil, Sabre and Epee weapons.
photo courtesy FencingPhotos.com
{sidebar id=1} Ahead of the competition, the International Fencing Federation (Fédération Internationale d’Éscrime) has invited 25 young fencers from around the world to train under Petru Kuki, Daniel Levavasseur and Tadeusz Pigula – some of the world’s greatest coaches – and take part in a dedicated training camp on-site.
The event marks a Northern Ireland début as host of this high profile championships, as Britain’s hopefuls gear up to pursue medal glory on home turf.
Keith Smith, President of British Fencing said: “I am delighted that Great Britain is hosting its first Junior World Championships since 1968. This is the beginning of a period of immense activity culminating in the London Olympic Games in 2012.”
Commenting on the event, Piers Martin, Chief Executive of British Fencing said: “Fencing has an incredible heritage and is continuing to grow in profile as a sport, from grass roots level through to world-class competition standard.
“This year’s World Championships have attracted record numbers and promise to be a spectacular experience for both competitors and spectators alike.”
Added Alisher Usmanov, President of the FIE: “We are delighted to bring the event to Northern Ireland and look forward to watching such a strong international field of Junior and Cadet fencers compete at the highest level.
“Free to spectators, the event is an unmissable opportunity to witness the world’s greatest fencers showcase lightning reflexes, skill and agility.”
US Looking for Continued Success
The United States will look to the Cadet and Junior ranks to continue the success shown by the national team at the 2008 Olympics. In Beijing the United States put the fencing world on notice that they have arrived as a fencing power by winning 6 medals, second only to Italy in medal count.
Continued success at the cadet and junior levels would show that the United States not only has current success stories, but also the developing system necessary to remain a world power in the sport.
Host Great Britain’s Hopefuls
GB hopefuls bring fencing to the fore
Robin Hood is back on our screens and the clash of swords is a familiar sight, but not something we associate with mainstream contemporary sport.
More than 1,000 international athletes would beg to differ as they descend on Belfast this fortnight to compete at the highest level at the Junior and Cadet Fencing World Championships.
Members of the GB squad will be fencing on home turf for the first time since 1968 at this high profile event.
Young British talents have their eyes on the rostrum, keen to claim a medal in one of the country’s oldest sports. Despite its heritage, however, fencing still remains on the fringes of mainstream popular sport.
Corinna Lawrence,18, first discovered fencing as a child attending primary school in Plymouth. She claims the sport is normally associated with public schools but her state school was an exception to the rule as her older sisters were both fencers and had introduced the idea of lessons.
Number one in the UK under 20 section, Corinna claimed a bronze medal in the 2008 European Championships in Holland and is striving for a strong medal position in Belfast. She trains more than 14 hours per week, which can be tough when juggling a Maths degree at Kings College London.
She said: “Our college has a really strong fencing team but it’s not typical of most universities. A lot of people aren’t familiar with the sport at all but I’ve grown up with it in my family and took to it from an early age.”
With a late maturing age, it’s not unusual for fencers to reach their prime in their 30s so time is on Corinna’s side. This is also the case for her team-mate Alex Craig, who at 15 is a promising talent and came to the sport at the tender age of 6.
Alex lives in Hartlepool and regularly commutes to Durham for training sessions as there are no facilities on her doorstep to nurture her passion for fencing. She too juggles a rigorous training programme with studies and will be taking her GCSEs next year.
Alex said: “I’m still pretty young in fencing terms so it’s really about moving up the rankings. I came second in the Commonwealth Under 20 category earlier in the year so I’m hoping to maintain this form. I’m lucky to have a really supportive family who are coming to Belfast with me to support me at the World Championships.”
GB fencers, Ed Jefferies and Marcus Mepstead are strong medal contenders at the University of Ulster competition. Ranked 17 and 78 in the world respectively, all eyes will be on them in the men’s Foil event.
For more details of the event visit www.worldfencing2009.com
